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Patient Care Remains at 100% Throughout Hurricane Matthew Emergency

October 7, 2016
hurricanematthew As Matthew moves up the coast of Florida Our Emergency Management Plan remains in effect in Palm Beach County. At 10:00 am on Wednesday, October 5, 2016, BrightStar Care declared our County Emergency Management Plan (CEMP) in force for Boca Raton, Delray Beach and Boynton Beach. Our administrative staff began calling every member of our caregiver team, verifying every availability during emergency storm conditions. Our entire patient population was contacted to verify their condition and desire to remain in place. Patients were offered expanded assistance, transfer to a shelter if requested and polled with regard to emergency supplies and medications. Prior to building and government services shutdown our Field Team was assembled and our field command center was established. Utilizing cell communications that included all major carriers, extended communications power devices and paper copies of all patient and caregiver contacts, the Field Team deployed in Emergency mode at 3:00 pm. The field command center has been in constant contact with caregivers utilizing broadcast messaging and telephone calling, and we are pleased to note that to date, every staffing need was met, including regular and emergency overnight and live-in care requests. Field Team Leader Joanne Canter reports that normal scheduling is now in effect and should be normalized as of 5:00 pm today. We will remain in CEMP mode until every city in Palm Beach County is reported at a no-alert/no-watch condition and all government services are reported as restored. We will be compiling and analyzing our post-emergency field data to fully realize the benefits and impact our training and planning has had for the senior home care population in Boca Raton, Delray Beach and Boynton Beach.